Angry youth raze Kano Senator, Rep’s houses over ‘unfulfilled electoral promises’

Thousands of angry youth in Kano on Wednesday stormed houses belonging to their Senator and member of the House of Representatives, and set the properties alight, accusing the lawmakers of failing to fulfil their electoral promises.

The youth staged a violent protest early Wednesday in Gaya Local Government area of Kano State before seizing the properties belonging to Senator Kabiru Gaya, and another owned by Abdulahi Gaya, the member representing Gaya federal constituency.

The two properties were badly burnt and destroyed, our correspondent said.

The youth, initially appeared to have dispersed but later regrouped and became more violent. They also set fire on the campaign office of Mr. Gaya, the House member.

The youth said they were angry because the lawmakers failed to provide water, electricity, jobs and roads, as they promised before their elections in 2015.

One leader of the rampaging youth, Tanimu Sani Gaya, said before the elections, politicians from the area agreed that they would solve the problems of water, electricity and unemployment bedevilling the district.

They said one year after the polls, residents of the area still trek kilometres to get water while hundreds of youth still roam about without jobs.

The spokesperson for the police, Magaji Majiya, confirmed the attacks. He said officers were still battling to push back the youth.

Mr. Gaya, the house member, did not respond to phone calls on Wednesday. Senator Gaya was away in the United States, a source said.